Message From Our Mayor

August 9, 2013

Let me start this letter by saying how greatful I am for being selected as State Fair Iowan of the Day on August 12. It definitely was a surprise and a great honor not only for myself but to be able to represent our great town and all those in it. Thanks to all for your support! This last month was Tama County 4-H Fair here in Gladbrook. Our local kids were well represented winning a lot of ribbons and trophies. They represented their clubs and community very well. It is always fun to work at the fair and watch these young people from all over the county show their projects both livestock and non livestock and to watch the pride they have in doing a completed project. You can tell the kids who have spent the most time on their projects by how excited they are when they get their ribbons. Jo and I enjoy watching these kids from the age of 10 and younger develop into fine young women and men and turn into great volunteers and leaders for our community and country. No better example of this than Gladbrook having had the previous four Tama County 4-H Fair Queens. All four of these young ladies have turned into outstanding young women who represent themselves and Gladbrook in the best of ways. There are so many of these young people in 4-H who are growing and learning leadership skills both in their local club and County 4-H Council that I am not going to try naming all of them. Keep up the good work and it will pay off in the long run. Congratulations to all of you and we will be watching you next year. The best of luck to all of you who are showing your projects at the State Fair. Now on the city side, we have just completed our fiscal year on June 30 and Beth Miller and her staff have finished the year end audit. As always, Lori has done a great job keeping books and everything has balanced. Beth will be giving her final report to the Council at their meeting on August 12. That report is available at City Hall for anyone who would like to see it. Feel free to stop and look at it. As I have said before, Gladbrook is in need of Ambulance volunteers. As of now, we have five new volunteers who will be starting their training this fall. I really thank them for stepping foreward and taking on a very vital roll in our community. It would make everyone on the squads job a lot easier if we had a few more. Please think about it. Call either Jeanne or me if you are interested. The Fire and Ambulance building fund drive is going great. In just three short months, the Firemen and Ambulance personnel have raised over $615,000 in cash and pledges. It is great to live in a community where everyone pulls together on a project of this size. We still have a ways to go to reach our goal of $800,000, but I’m very confident we will get there. Thanks again for all of your generous support and those of you who haven’t pledged yet and who want to, please leave your pledge card at City Hall or give them to any one of the Fire and Ambulance volunteers. School starts the end of the month so watch out for the kids Keith Sash, Mayor PS – Don’t forget the cookout on Friday, August 9 at Hometown Foods here in Gladbrook to benefit the Fire and Ambulance Building!